WRITTEN BY @LekoNdukuya
PHOTOGRAPHY BY @Nyiko_EMagFirst
TV, magazines and social networks are constantly telling us what
and who to believe is “cool”. Just as robots being encoded for a
purpose, so are we. Our lives are run by trends and we are relentlessly
trying to fit in and be noticed. We seek approval from our peers, and
are stuck in this rat race that seems futile. Are you really “cool” if
you end up looking like everyone else? It makes no sense right? But no
matter what we do, we’ll be boxed inevitably.
STR
CRD 2013 was my first experience of the Urban Street Culture annual
event which takes place at different places around Johannesburg each
year. It is a platform for both local and global fashion brands that
recognize themselves to be at the forefront of urban culture to showcase
their items in the most creative ways imaginable. The people that
attended the event were dressed as if coming straight out of a blog,
runway, or magazine themselves, all picture-ready. All looked different
but similar in numerous ways.
It could not have been held on a better day. The 28th of September 2013 must
have been about 30˚C hot, with not a single cloud in the sky, the perfect
weather for the ladies to wear as little as possible. Which they did,
extremely short denim shorts on every hill. Eye candy for all
interested. With a photographer on EVERY corner, not a single person could be missed.
As we walked into the
exhibition area we were invited by candy coloured bright Adidas sneakers.
This is a trend that seems to have aggressively invaded the fashion
streets, proving that style can be comfortable too. These bright
sneakers paired wrong can make them seem tacky and clown-like.
The ButanWear Spaza shop was visually appealing and authentic
South African culture. The zinc shop was stocked up with their
merchandise including their “B5 Collab”. With
their live manikins modelling their clothes, Topshop and Topman, the
London born brand had the most amazing London street style wear that can
turn heads on the catwalk. They showcased a variety of materials such
as silk, chiffon as well as organza. The fashion-forward brand has a
host of designers who have kept it flourishing since 1964 and is now
available in over 100 countries worldwide.
Palladium
have also joined Nike, Adidas and other such brands by adding some
colour to their shoes. This can be seen in their monochrome brightly
coloured line. I imagined their bright red monochrome boots with pitch
black skinny jeans, a black and white t-shirt and a customized blue denim
jacket. A brand that has been around since 1947 needs to continuously
re-invent itself so that it can appeal to today’s ever-so-demanding
crowd. They have definitely achieved that with the collaboration with
Pharrell Williams and Takashi Murakamia. Another favourite of mine were
the black boots with a dark bright pink sole, pink laces and the pink
logo. I stood there for a few minutes and marvelled at the splendour of
these shoes.
The next shop that I was drawn to was Swede & Crowe
(@SwedeCROWE). Their floral & printed caps had sophistication about
them, and made me desire to be a cap collector. As their vintage and
retro style is eminent through every piece, one can't help but adore
their work.
The DJ's around the event were
lacing the illest music to compliment the vibes. Heard a couple of old
Hip Hop tracks I hadn't heard in a while. BMXers, skateboarders and
real life "stunt men" were out doing what they do best, as they provided
great entertainment for all around them.
My Highs:
• The venue was just proper - Constitution Hill
• The people - good spirits, dope fashionistas
• The music - the Dj's did not disappoint at all
My Lows:
• No music performers - to make the festival more lively
•
Not enough food & drink stalls - there were far too may people
which meant queues. A variety of food to choose from would have been
nice.
• Interaction - there could have been more interaction with the crowd.
This
is a brilliant concept that can only yield more growth in the years to
come. What I drew from it was that we really need to focus on trying to
be the best version of US we can be. There seems to be too many people
trying to be everyone else. Stay true to what you believe in, minus all
the false influence.
